GP Cases; I Needed to change the channel...

[mmaher94087]

How about this:

 

[lihpster]

How do I use it? Throw it at the guy with the remote?

 

[BMur]

Gutta Percha cases?

Mike,

Very nice cases!

Can you educate me on these gutta percha cases? I was watching a few on a recent auction. Bid on them but was too low...I have no idea what they are worth but also what I noticed was different designs on the lids? What's that all about?

Which are the early cases? Which are later? Models? How many different type cases were there? etc.

Murph

 

[mmaher94087]

Murph, I'm not the expert on these but here's the little bit that I believe is correct. The cases were made by Littlefield and Parsons and are a shellac based product that predates plastic as we know it. I have heard it called thermoplastic but I do not believe any heat is used in making these cases. There were approximately 5,000 of these cases produced but the survival rate is low due to the fragile material. These were sold to the distributor(s) for resale at the time the Model 1, 2nd Issue was produced. These cases are often found paired with the Model 1, 1st Issue revolvers as the distributor(s) would do almost anything to sell their inventory. The S&W case is one of two types; the Pistol case or the Stand of Flags case. The latter is also called the Union case. The value of the case depends on which type and condition and often are in the few thousand dollar range. Different cases were made for other revolvers, playing cards, combs etc.

 

[dave1918a2]

How can they bee that expensive?? No buttons.

 

[ameridaddy]

They're gun boxes?? Holy cow, I thought they were belt buckles.
OK, nice find on what have to be rare survivors.

 

[mmaher94087]

Yeah, I kept looking for the ON/OFF switch.

 

[BMur]

Case info

Thanks for the info Mike,

It's interesting that the lid on one of the cases has an early 1-1 molded but the case was for a 1-2? I want one.


Murph

 

[iby]

Murph
in the last few years, I have observed that it may be less expensive to buy a case with a gun than just a case by itself.
go figure

 

[BMur]

Gun/case combo?

iby,
I missed this one on a recent auction. Sold for under $2,600.

Oh well! Someone did well!

Murph

 

[opoefc]

Murph, There's an extensively researched article on these cases in several of our older S&WCA Journals by an older member, who had found the molds for these cases. It will tell you all one needs to know about these Gutta Percha cases, and more! Also some yrs ago I had about 8 repo cases made using the case for Gen. Custer's Model One as my mold. I occasionaly see these cases for sale as originals, but I used small screws to attach the hinges of the lid. Original cases have no screws - the hinge is pressed into the plastic. So, if you're buying a case with screws in the hinges, it's one of my copies. You will also see comb & brush set cases modified to fit a gun, but they are usually much larger cases than the S&W types. Ed

 

[BMur]

Reproductions?

Thanks much for the heads up Ed,
I guess it pays to do your homework.

Murph